Cuban Black Bean Soup

Black Beans is high in protein and fiber, low fat and rich in essential vitamins and minerals. Black beans helps prevent heart disease and can also reduce cholesterol levels. It contains phytochemicals that can help fight cancer diseases. A cup of cooked black beans contains 15g of protein, 15g of fiber with no saturated fat. Now, that's something to consider?? It is a great meat substitute for vegans and vegetarians and can be used in soups, salads, burritos, burgers, etc.

My Mofo Post 6 is the Cuban Black Bean Soup. It is a traditional soup that is hearty and filled with earthy flavors that is served with white rice. If you don't care much for rice, add some cuban sandwich or salad to complete a satisfying meal.

I am midway through the Vegan Mofo and only 6 posts this month. Most of the times, the recipe is all done, just waiting for edits to get done delays it all. I don't give up that easily. So, one recipe every day until this month ends should do the trick. Who knows!! Maybe two, on some days, if I get a little too driven. So, check out for posts daily!!

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cup cooked black beans
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped (approx. 1 cup)
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped (approx. 3/4 cup)
1 1/4 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp smoked paprika (or chilli powder)
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1-2 bay leaf
2 cups water
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 1/2 tsp white wine vinegar (or apple cider or white vinegar)

Quick Cashew sour cream:

1/4 cup cashewnuts, soaked for 20 mins or so.
1 1/2 tsp lime juice
Salt, to taste

Method:

For the soup:

Soak the dried black beans overnight. Pressure cook the beans with 1/2 tsp salt and enough water for 5-6 whistles (fastest way to cook it) or cook in a stock pot for 35-45 mins until soft. Reserve the cooking liquid to use instead of broth or water (more nutrition never hurts).

In a dutch oven or stockpot, heat oil, add onions and garlic and sauté until onions are translucent. Add the green and red pepper and fry for 4-5 mins. If like more vegetables, you can throw in some chopped carrots and celery too.

Add the dried oregano, cumin powder and smoked paprika and/or chilli powder (add both or use 1 1/2 tsp chilli powder for a spicier soup) and bay leaf. Mix all the ingredients with the vegetables. This step of the process is known as 'sofrito'.

After the sofrito gets cooked, add the cooked black beans and water (or vegetable broth) and salt, to taste. Slightly mash the beans using a masher. Bring to a boil and cover the pot and simmer on medium-low flame for 20-25 mins or so. 

Remove the bay leaf and pureé about 1 cup of the soup (you can do more for a thicker and creamier soup but it's nice to have a chunky texture). Add the pureé to the soup and simmer for 4-5 mins. Add white wine vinegar and mix well before removing from heat. 

For the cashew sour cream:

Soak the cashews in water for 20 mins or so (you can skip this step, if you are in a hurry.

In a blender, add the soaked cashews, salt, lime juice and water and puree the ingredients well. Generally, people add vinegar to the mix but I don't care much for the vinegar. Honestly, I like the taste better without the vinegar, so if you like, you can add it when making the sour cream. Set aside.

The soup tasted good but just not spicy enough for my taste buds, so you can add some black pepper powder or your favorite hot sauce before serving.

Serve hot with cashew sour cream (optional) and  some tomatoes, cilantro and green onions (optional) over white rice or enjoy as-is. Oh, I almost forgot to mention....it works as a great dip for tortilla chips too!!

Makes 2-3 servings.

Gazpacho

Gazpacho is a cold tomato-based vegetable soup that originated from the southern region of Andalucia. Gazpacho is popular in Spain and Portugal. My Mofo Post 5 is Spanish Gazpacho that is served cold during hot summer months and usually prepared using the fresh vegetables in season. Gazpacho recipes can vary by texture based on the ingredients being used. Nowadays, you can find interesting ingredients in gazpacho like watermelon, strawberries, avocados, etc. instead of tomatoes.

The traditional gazpacho in Andalusian cuisine uses stale bread, olive oil, wine vinegar and salt. The primary ingredients are ripe tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, onions and garlic which are pounded using a mortar and pestle. To know more about how it's originally prepared, check out the link !! So, here's a light and refreshing soup just in time before summer winds up.

Browsing through some of the Mofo blogs, just found out that today is International Chocolate Day!! Like you need more excuses to enjoy chocolates??? Too bad, I am not doing desserts this month!! If you want to dive into chocolate haven, check out Richa's  Chocolate Overload that has a good roundup of drool worthy recipes from her blog. And, if that's not enough, how about Cara's honeycombs or rolos to satisfy your sweet tooth? Enjoy the chocolatey goodness!!

Ingredients:

4-5 ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 medium seedless cucumber, chopped (approx. 1 1/2 cups)
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped (approx. 1/2 cup)
1 small red onion, chopped (approx. 1/2 cup)
1-2 small garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno, seeded, minced
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp white vinegar (or white wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar)
1 - 1 1/2 tbsp lime juice (or lemon juice)
1 cup tomato juice (or V8 low-sodium vegetable juice)
1/4 - 1/2 tsp tabasco/hot sauce (optional)
1/4 cup fresh parsely, chopped (optional)
1/4 cup homemade croutons (optional)
2-3 slices of stale bread (like french or italian bread)
Salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

To make croutons:

Slice the outer layer of the bread (I used french bread) and toss out. Cut the inner layer into small cubes (1/2 to 1 inch).

In a mixing bowl, add 1 to 1 1/2 tsp extra virgin olive oil (evoo), generous pinch of salt and pepper. Whisk well until all ingredients are mixed (you can also add some minced garlic, for garlic croutons). Add the bread cubes and toss lightly for the oil to coat evenly.

Preheat oven to 375° F.  Place the bread cubes on a lined baking sheet and bake for 8-10 mins or so (I made a small batch of these in my toaster oven) until golden brown.

In a large bowl, add the cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, minced garlic, jalapeno and mix well. Add the tomatoes and mix again. If using stale bread, cut into small pieces and toss with the other ingredients, so that it soaks up the juices. Let it sit for 5 mins.

In a food processor or blender, add the vegetable mix (cucumber, pepper, onion, garlic, jalapeno & tomatoes), salt, pepper, evoo, vinegar, tabasco, lime juice and pulse/blend to the desired consistency (reserve about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of coarsely pulsed mix). 

Pureé the rest of the mix for 20 seconds or so until well blended (don't blend until smooth, leave it slightly coarse for the texture).

Pour into a bowl and add the vegetable juice (or tomato juice), finely chopped parsley and check for seasonings. Adjust to taste and chill the soup atleast for 2-3 hours, preferably, overnight. 
                                         

Ladle into bowls and garnish with chopped red bell pepper, cucumber, chopped parsley and croutons. Serve cold.

Makes 4 servings.

Mulligatawny Soup

Mulligatawny soup is of Anglo-Indian origin. Mulligatawny, when literally translated in tamil means "pepper water". My Mofo Post 4 is this classic spicy soup that was adapted by the British during their regime in India trying to mimic the 'rasam' (spicy broth made from spices, tomatoes and tamarind juice) that is quite popular in South India. Several variations can be found for this recipe. 

The western version of Mulligatawny is a rather thick soup made with lentils and thickened with rice and coconut milk (optional). This version is similar to the indian dal but the curry powder makes the soup much more flavorful. The soup has a rich yellow color that comes from using turmeric.

Irrespective of its origin, this soup is simple and delicious, filled with earthy flavors that makes it perfect for any cold night. The addition of vegetables is optional but tastes good any which way its made. The soup tends to be thick but you can add water or vegetable broth to thin it out according to the desired consistency. Give it a try!! 

Happy Ganesh Chaturthi to everyone who's celebrating!! At home, I prepared a whole bunch of sweet treats as offerings to God during the festivities. In the spirit of Vegan Mofo and adhering to my theme, these recipes will be posted next month. 

Ingredients:

For the curry powder:

2 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp black peppercorns
1/2 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds (saunf)

For the soup:

1/2 cup split pigeon peas (toor dal) or red lentils (masoor dal), soaked
2 -3 tbsp rice, soaked
3 cloves garlic
1-inch piece fresh ginger (approx. 1/2 tsp), minced
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
3 1/2 cups water or vegetable broth
1 tbsp vegan butter (or oil)
1 1/2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (adjust to taste)
1/4 cup coconut milk (optional)
1-2 tbsp cooked rice (optional)
1 - 2 tbsp prepared curry powder (I used  1 1/2 tbsp, adjust to taste)
1/8 tsp turmeric powder
Salt, to taste
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, finely chopped (for garnish)

Method:

Soak the split pigeon peas (or red lentils) and rice separately in water for 20 mins. 

In a skillet or pan, dry roast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, black peppercorns and fennel seeds for 3-4 mins until a nice aroma releases from it. Cool the ingredients and grind to a fine powder.

In a stock pot or pressure cooker (much faster method), heat butter or oil on medium-high heat, add onions, ginger and garlic and sauté for 2-3 mins till the onions turn translucent. If you like, you can add 1-2 bay leaves before adding the onions. Add the chopped carrots and sauté for another 3-4 mins.

Add the turmeric powder, prepared curry powder or store-bought, salt and stir well. Sauté for 2-3 mins. Add the soaked split pigeon peas and rice and mix well (if you decide to skip the rice, you can use chopped potatoes instead and cook along with the carrots). Cook for few more mins.

Add water or broth and mix all the ingredients. Pressure cook for about 4-5 whistles (mine took 4) until the vegetable and dal is cooked. Cook for atleast 20-25 mins or so, if using a stock pot or dutch oven. Adjust salt, as required.

Check to make sure the soup is completed mashed, if not use a masher to do so. You can leave the soup as-is (in mashed form) or pureé it for a finer soup. Place the soup on medium heat, add the coconut milk and bring to a slight boil. After turning the stove off, add the lemon juice and stir well.

In a bowl, add a thin bed of cooked rice (optional), ladle the soup and pour over the rice. Garnish with chopped cilantro and some freshly ground black pepper. Serve hot.

Makes 4-5 servings.